After endless hours, days, weeks, maybe even months of searching, you found the gown! How exciting, but then your eyes widen and you start thinking “This dress looks AMAZING, but I bet it would look even more amazing if my arms had just a bit more definition.” That’s right… you’ve started thinking about what all brides-to-be think about…The Wedding Diet! Let’s be honest, we all hate the word diet, so let’s call it a wedding tone up instead. The wedding tone up is something that every bride, bridesmaid, mother of the bride, and wedding guest tries to adhere to as the wedding date draws closer, so here are my top five tips for making the wedding tone up work for you.

Start Early. Weddings are stressful enough, so if you’re trying to tone up for the wedding, you by no means want to wait until the last two weeks to start getting fit. Not only will that raise you stress level, but also you won’t get the results you were aiming for all along. Remember, getting fit is more of a marathon than a sprint. The more time you have, the more likely you are going to get the results you want. Plus, if you’ve started you wedding tone up early, there is plenty of time to fully enjoy a sweet treat and a glass of champagne at the showers and bachelorette party without feeling guilty.

Come up with a plan… and stick to it. Remember that time you wanted that cute dress, but it was super expensive. You came up with a plan to get that dress! You dropped your latte habit like it was hot and saved your coffee money until you had enough to buy the dress. Simple and proven, if you have a plan and stick to it, you can easily reach your goal. When coming up with a plan, think about what has worked for you in the past and what activities you’ve actually enjoyed doing. For example, if you loved that barre class- go for it girl! Make a plan to go to a class 3-4 times a week coupled with healthy eating. If this is the first time you’re really workin’ on your fitness, take the first week to try a few different things before jumping in- it could be spinning, cross-fit, or kickboxing-the options are endless. Figure out what you like to do, because we all know if you sign up for a month of cross-fit and end up loathing it, you are far less likely to go to the classes, and getting fit will change from a time you take for yourself to just another chore on a long list of things to do for the wedding. I strongly suggest trying ToneItUp[1]. The TIU girls have created fun beachy workouts (completely free at http://www.toneitup.com) and for a bit more they have created a nutrition plan (they even have a “wedding plan”- how awesome is that?). Stick to your plan, and you’re on your way to glowing on the wedding day.

Find a friend. Everyone knows working out alone can be daunting and tough, so find a friend (or a fiancé) to join you. Not only will working out be more fun with a partner to help you through the workout, but your friend will keep you accountable. If your fiancé is the one joining you, think of it as a time to work towards your goals as well as connect with your soon-to-be hubby (don’t worry, he will definitely be up for spotting you). Finding a workout buddy is also so much less expensive than hiring a trainer. Use that saved cash on something special- wedding related or not!

Ignore the scale. Most people track progress by what the scale says, but don’t be tied to it. Yes, a pound is a pound, but muscle is leaner and takes up 4/5 of the space that fat does.[2] So, forget the scale and focus on how you feel. Even though the scale might not be changing, if you are toning up, you will notice that you have more energy, you sleep better, you are all around in a better mood, and you are more confident.[3] Think about how your clothes feel. Are those skinny jeans less of a struggle to get on in the morning or is that shirt you like hanging just a little loser? Take note of these little things, because THIS is progress. Progress isn’t what the scale says, it is how you feel and if you feel great, you know that you look great too!

Stay positive. The wedding tone up is a journey, and, like any journey, there will be ups and downs, good days and bad days. It’s important to stay positive no matter what happens along the way. Maybe you had a bad day… you ate half of a pizza without even realizing it. Don’t get down on yourself! Tomorrow is a new day to make good choices, and one, two, or even three slip ups during the months leading up to the wedding will not set you back. On that same note, remember to celebrate your progress. If you got all of your workouts in and ate healthy during the past two weeks, reward yourself by splurging on some new workout gear. Staying positive is key to staying on track and reaching your goal.

Weddings can be stressful at times, but your wedding tone up doesn’t have to be. Remember these tips and most importantly to have fun because before you know it, you will be looking and feeling fabulous on the wedding day.